Due to low birth rate, Japan abolishes social sciences, STEM for all.

[jimmy olsen]

Ide approves, rational humans are appalled.

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/social-sciences-and-humanities-faculties-close-japan-after-ministerial-decree

Social sciences and humanities faculties to close in Japan after ministerial decree

Seventeen universities are to close liberal arts and social science courses
September 14 2015

Many social sciences and humanities faculties in Japan are to close after universities were ordered to "serve areas that better meet society's needs".

Of the 60 national universities that offer courses in these disciplines, 26 have confirmed that they will either close or scale back their relevant faculties at the behest of Japan's government.

It follows a letter from education minister Hakuban Shimomura sent to all of Japan's 86 national universities, which called on them to take "active steps to abolish [social science and humanities] organisations or to convert them to serve areas that better meet society's needs".

The ministerial decree has been denounced by one university president as "anti-intellectual", while the universities of Tokyo and Kyoto, regarded as the country's most prestigious, have said that they will not comply with the request.

However, 17 national universities will stop recruiting students to humanities and social science courses – including law and economics, according to a survey of university presidents by The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, which was reported by the blog Social Science Space.

It reports that the Science Council of Japan put out a statement late last month that expressed its "profound concern over the potentially grave impact that such an administrative directive implies for the future of the HSS [humanities and social sciences] in Japan".

The call to close the liberal arts and social science faculties are believed to be part of wider efforts by president Shinzo Abe to promote what he has called "more practical vocational education that better anticipates the needs of society".

However, it is likely to be connected with ongoing financial pressures on Japanese universities, linked to a low birth rate and falling numbers of students, which have led to many institutions running at less than 50 per cent of capacity.

[Valmy]

Those scientists can get to work on how to grow new Japanese citizens in vats.

[DGuller]

 

[The Brain]

[Martinus]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

[DGuller]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

+1

[Monoriu]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

Somehow I think people are capable of self-reflection even if they didn't major in the social sciences.

[Martinus]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

Somehow I think people are capable of self-reflection even if they didn't major in the social sciences.

Journalists, sociologists, philosophers etc. provide us with data for that. Without knowing ourselves - as a society, as a nation, as a group etc. - we are not capable of self reflection because we are in the dark. All that is left then is the cacophony of social media and infotainment - that can be chaotic at best and completely manipulated by those in power at worst.

[Hamilcar]

Surely this is just a reflection of Abe &co's ultra-nationalist anti-intellectualism. Everyone knows that sociology professors are lefties.

FWIW, I once heard Abe speak in person, and his English was very good and he was even witty. Even sounded off the cuff as opposed to practiced.

[The Brain]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

Somehow I think people are capable of self-reflection even if they didn't major in the social sciences.

Journalists, sociologists, philosophers etc. provide us with data for that. Without knowing ourselves - as a society, as a nation, as a group etc. - we are not capable of self reflection because we are in the dark. All that is left then is the cacophony of social media and infotainment - that can be chaotic at best and completely manipulated by those in power at worst.

[The Brain]

Surely this is just a reflection of Abe &co's ultra-nationalist anti-intellectualism. Everyone knows that sociology professors are lefties.

FWIW, I once heard Abe speak in person, and his English was very good and he was even witty. Even sounded off the cuff as opposed to practiced.

OK Martim.

[Hamilcar]

OK Martim.

Eh? 

[The Brain]

OK Martim.

Eh? 

Martim Silva famously has met and talked to most major players in the world.

[Martinus]

Someone needs to give Hami a refresher course on Languish memes.

[Hamilcar]

Martim Silva famously has met and talked to most major players in the world.

Don't remember the guy. And I was just in the audience, with like 2,000 other people. At the same event, they even wheeled out the Crown Prince to give an entirely content-free speech.The nibbles were fantastic.